The lottery slogan "You've got to be in it to win it" is also apropos for this high-stakes election year. Whether you're #WithHer, ready to Make America Great Again, or eyeing a third party, voting is a right that should be exercised.

But first you need to register.

As the race reaches its final stages, there are new and easier ways to register. The basic requirements to vote in a federal election in the United States are that you are a US citizen (by birth or naturalization) who is at least 18 years old on Election Day (Nov. 8). But there are other rules that vary by state, such as residency dates, criminal conviction status, and controversial voter ID requirements.

After both parties wrapped up their conventions, not surprisingly, eight days of wall-to-wall election coverage led to a spike in Google searches for "register to vote"— first during the GOP convention from July 18-21 and then again during the Democratic convention from July 25-28.

The Democrats prompted a bigger spike in voter registration queries in part because of a powerful moment when Khizr Khan, the father of a fallen Muslim US soldier, criticized Trump's Muslim ban proposal and asked Americans "to honor the sacrifice of my son and on Election Day, take the time to get out and vote."

If you're more into snap political decisions, Snapchat has you covered. Go into the app, navigate to Stories or Discover, and look for videos from TurboVote. Swipe up on them, and you'll be guided through the voter-registration process.

Unfortunately, only 31 states and D.C. have online voter registration; check this National Council of State Legislators list to see if yours is among them. For example, battleground states like Virginia and Pennsylvania allow it; Ohio and Florida have enacted legislation to make it a reality, but not yet implemented it. You can still use Hello Vote and Snapchat, which will each lead you through the paperwork.

There are also a number of gateways that will guide you through registration (including the paperwork portions)—or check your eligibility to vote—based on where you live. To register on these sites, you will generally need your Social Security or driver ID number.

USA.gov: The official portal for the federal government has links to each state's registration page.

Rock the Vote: If you want to register the fact that Miley Cyrus has had an influence on your wanting to vote, then Rock the Vote.

I Will Vote" You don't have to be a Democrat to use the Democratic National Committee's official site to check your registration status or to register to vote.

Register to Vote: Likewise, you don't have to be down with the GOP to use its site.

TurboVote: Aside from using the site to register to vote, you can apply for an absentee ballot and get reminders about upcoming elections.

One important note: Be sure to check the deadline for voter registration in your state. Many states stop accepting registrations in early October. Google has a handy tool to help you find your state deadline. If you search for "voter registration" or "register to vote" and your state—[voter registration ohio] for example—Google will display a box up top that lets you toggle between how to register, what you need to register, and the deadline.

Chandra is senior features writer at PCMag.com. She got her tech journalism start at CMP/United Business Media, beginning at Electronic Buyers' News, then making her way over to TechWeb and VARBusiness.com. Chandra's happy to make a living writing, something she didn't think she could do and why she chose to major in political science at Barnard College. For her tech tweets, it's ChanSteele.
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